Hurricane Melissa Batters Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica Tuesday as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms to make landfall on record.

Melissa came ashore in southwestern Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with 185 miles-per-hour winds, according to the National Hurricane Center. Jamaican officials said the storm has trapped families in homes, damaged hospitals and cut power for three-quarters of the island. Forecasters urged residents to stay in their homes, calling the storm “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”